The Tempietto of San Giacomo delle Brentelle is named after the patron saint of knights, pilgrims, and travelers, and is invoked every year on July 25th when the weighing of milk was carried out to quantify dairy production. Based on the weighing, officials determined the tax to be paid, especially during the administration of the Serenissima, to the extent that Venice sent specific officials for the necessary checks.
The location of the Ospitale is special: it stands, in fact, at the foot of Mount Monfenera where the cattle pastures are found and where shepherds often passed with their transhumance activities, along an important communication route even in past centuries and close to an area rich in water.
The first small church dates back to medieval times when the worship of San Giacomo spread, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ who was engaged in the evangelization of the Iberian Peninsula. He died a martyr in Judea just after returning from Spain. According to popular legend, his remains were brought back to Spain and after several adventures found burial in Compostela. Given his history, a sanctuary was erected on the site which we know dedicated to Santiago, the Spanish name for Giacomo.
The tempietto, located up the hill from Pederobba along the road to Feltre, overlooks the Piave River and is characterized by a hexagonal architectural plan. It is believed to have been built in the medieval period. Initially, its function was that of an “ospital,” meaning a resting place for merchants and pilgrims undertaking long journeys. Subsequently, it became a small oratory. The suffix “delle brentelle” obviously recalls the presence in the area of the artificial canal Brentella, where the waters of the Piave are channeled to provide water for various purposes to a basin composed of dozens of municipalities.
